# Redact usernames

> Redact handles and account usernames from transcripts, exports, and community data.

Canonical: https://bitbanger.in/entities/username
Last updated: 2026-10-27

Category: Online presence · Entity type: `online.username`

Usernames are pseudonyms that are usually stable, public, and searchable, which makes them identifying in practice even when they are not identifying on paper.

## How Redactly detects usernames

- Detected from a username, handle, or screen-name cue followed by the value.
- Captured after the cue with the value taken as written, including the @ form when the label precedes it.
- Email addresses are reported as contact.email instead, since that is the more specific type.

## Why redact usernames?

A handle links every public post a person has made, which is often more revealing than their name.

## Example request

```bash
curl -X POST https://api.bitbanger.in/v1/redact \
  -H "X-API-Key: rdct_your_key_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"text": "Username: quietriver88, joined the forum in 2024.", "style": "replace"}'
```

## FAQ

**Does Redactly redact usernames automatically?**

Yes. Send text to the API and every detected type is redacted, including usernames. To redact only this type, pass the value online.username in the entities filter. No training or configuration is required.

**What happens to usernames after redaction?**

With style set to replace, each match becomes [online.username] — the entity type in square brackets. Setting style to mask replaces every character with a block character, and remove deletes the span entirely.

## Related entity types

- [Email addresses](https://bitbanger.in/entities/email) — Redact email addresses from text, JSON, and CSV with one HTTP call. Returns exact character offsets and keeps your structure intact.
- [Profile URLs](https://bitbanger.in/entities/url) — Redact URLs that point at a person, such as profile, portfolio, and social links.
- [Person names](https://bitbanger.in/entities/person-name) — Redact personal names from free text, including partial names the model only half-captures.

Try it on your own text: https://bitbanger.in/entities/username